Integrity in Defence

“We have for far too long viewed engineering as an overhead and not as a mission enabler.”

The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs

Professionals Australia is calling on the Government to act and improve engineering and technical capacity to deliver and maintain Defence capability to ensure national security and keep personnel safe. Faced with the intensity and complexity of Defence operations, and pressure that’s being exerted on the Defence budget you continue to act with integrity.

Our campaign for Integrity has been developed by your workplace representatives, and we are already in the public arena raising the issues.

Integrity is at the heart of everything you do – your professional code of ethics obligates you to act to ensure professional integrity. It’s an obligation you have to the Defence workforce and the Australian community.

We believe integrity should guide all decisions impacting on Defence’s science, engineering and technical capability. Our campaign is calling on key decision makers to demand integrity to properly resource critical research, project design and delivery and maintenance. It’s time to fill the technical skills gaps so we can maximise the support we provide to defence personnel.

It is critical that there are no further cuts to Defence engineering and science

Get involved: your actions can amplify our calls for Integrity and put it squarely on the government’s agenda.

What you can do:

1. If you are a member, pick up an Integrity badge and wear it at work.

2. Begin a conversation with a colleague about what Integrity means to you and why we need to speak up for our professions.

3. Make contributions to the submissions we are making to Government on the importance of engineering and science to Defence (and to the nation).

4. Encourage colleagues to get on board to make Professionals Australia as powerful and representative of the science and engineering community across Defence as possible.

Professionals Australia Director ACT/Australian Government Group, David Smith, writes in the Canberra Times on the importance of Defence acting on reviews that have called for urgent attention to skills gaps in Defence engineering. Read: Yet Another Defence Review. Why Not Read the Others?